Family Church is a laid-back, blue jeans kind of congregation

That may seem a bit backward, but The Family Church needed to be an entity before the social service part of this new birth could occur.

Dan Reynolds serves as executive director of the new 501(c)3, called Impact Lubbock Inc., which leases space to the church in addition to providing space for the church's social ministries, which are separately funded and governed for purposes of accountability.

On Aug. 18, a funeral was conducted for the old Trinity Baptist Church so that a new congregation could be formed. Reynolds also is senior pastor of The Family Church, which is drawing 80 to 90 in worship on Sundays. The congregation meets in the building that was once Trinity Baptist at 34th Street and Boston Avenue.

"We're a laid back, blue-jeans-wearing and tennis shoe kind of church," he said.

People can sit out in the coffee shop and watch the service on flat screen televisions if they desire. The large hall adjacent to the auditorium has round tables and bar stools along with a coffee bar. It's a popular place on Sundays, Reynolds said. Even in the social ministries, the family idea is stressed.

A few able members of the former dwindling church group became a part of the new church and serve in some of the ministries. The cultural make-up of the church attendance is 50 percent to 60 percent Hispanic, 10 percent or 15 percent black and the rest white, reflecting the neighborhood.

In late April and early May, a crew from Church Building Ministry in Brookhaven, Miss., gutted the auditorium and rebuilt the stage to prepare it for a contractor to finish. The existing pews were repositioned to allow a 4-foot space between the pews, which changed the seating capacity from 600 to about 350.

Since the church was begun, the entire building has been remodeled or repaired and is nearing the finishing point. New carpet will be laid and old carpet in the fellowship hall area will be taken up.

"We're just doing the cosmetic things now," Reynolds said.

During reconstruction of the auditorium, Sunday worship is in the basement area which was a fellowship hall for the original church.

Operative now is the Family Kitchen, an all new commercial kitchen that serves a soup kitchen program on Wednesday nights for the homeless as well as for families from the neighborhood. Clyde Brazell was the cabinet maker.

"He did the kitchen cabinets before I arrived," Reynolds said.

A Bible study after the dinner is led by Steve Wood, a doctoral student at Texas Tech, for those who wish to participate, but is not required.

"Our focus is families that are considered the working poor, such as single-parent homes, at-risk children and youth and those with little to no education," Reynolds explained. "Once a person's needs are met, it is our goal to introduce them to the person of Jesus Christ through building long-term relationships, and then to get them involved into a church family."

The long-range purpose of the social programs is to "provide the necessary tools to bring a person out of poverty to become a contributing member of society."

Already, some are doing just that, working with some of the programs that first helped them, Reynolds added.

An anonymous foundation provided seed money for the formation of Impact Lubbock.

Reynolds has planted or revitalized churches in Minnesota, Pennslyvania and served as a traditional pastor at First Baptist Church in Kress, his most recent assignment before coming to start The Family Church.

His wife, Barbie, works with him on staff as the worship leaders. Christ Smith is the youth minister, a part-time position. The staff also includes a full-time facilities managers, a financial administrator and an administration assistant.

The church planting portion of the operation was granted start-up funds for a year by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Reynolds said he is confident that the church will be able to sustain itself by September when that funding will end.